Voltage regulator spacing member

ABSTRACT

A spacing member for use with an alternator of the type having an electrical generating assembly housed in a frame with an external mounting surface to which a voltage regulator is adapted to be mounted. A brush assembly is connected to the voltage regulator and has a pair of brushes adapted to engage a pair of slip rings of the electric generating assembly when the brush assembly is positioned in a slip ring engaging position, the spacing member supports the voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to the mounting surface of the frame so as to provide an air flow passage between the voltage regulator and the mounting surface for enhancing heat transfer away from the voltage regulator and the spacing member supports the voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to the brush assembly so as to support the brush assembly in the slip ring engaging position.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to spacing devices, and moreparticularly, but not by way of limitation, to a spacing member forconnecting a voltage regulator in a spaced relationship to a housing ofan alternator so as to enhance heat transfer away from the voltageregulator by creating an effective air flow path.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

Alternators for automobiles are provided with a housing in which a rotorcoil is supported. The engine of the automobile is utilized to rotatethe rotor coil to generate a rotating magnetic field that induces acurrent in stator windings disposed near the rotor coil. The speed atwhich the rotor coil rotates and the intensity of the rotor coil'smagnetic field determine the voltage and current of the electricitygenerated by the alternator. To control the intensity of the magneticfield generated by the rotor coil so that the output voltage of thealternator remains within predefined limits, a voltage regulator isgenerally employed with an alternator.

The positioning of voltage regulators relative to the alternator housingis varied with different makes and models of alternators. For example,with some alternators the voltage regulator is mounted a distance fromthe alternator. In other alternators the voltage regulator is mountedwithin the alternator housing. Finally, in some makes and models, inparticular Ford IAR 3G alternators, the alternator housing is providedwith an external mounting surface to which the voltage regulator ismounted.

Overheating of the voltage regulator is a primary cause of alternatorfailure. The voltage regulator is subjected to both external heatproduced from the automobile engine and internal heat produced by theflow of electric current through the voltage regulator itself. And whilemany voltage regulators are provided with a heat sink to transfer theheat away from the voltage regulator, the manner in which the voltageregulators are designed to be mounted to the alternator housing does notpermit adequate air circulation across the heat sink and therebyprevents heat from being effectively transferred away from the voltageregulator.

To this end, a need exists for a voltage regulator spacing member whichpermits the voltage regulator in certain models of alternators to bespaced from the alternator housing so as to increase air flow throughthe voltage regulator heat sink and thus increase heat transfer awayfrom the voltage regulator. It is to such an apparatus that the presentinvention is directed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a spacing member for use with analternator of the type having an electrical generating assembly housedin a frame with an external mounting surface to which a voltageregulator is adapted to be mounted. A brush assembly is connected to thevoltage regulator and has a pair of brushes adapted to engage a pair ofslip rings of the electric generating assembly when the brush assemblyis positioned in a slip ring engaging position. The spacing membersupports the voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relativeto the mounting surface of the frame so as to provide an air flowpassage between the voltage regulator and the mounting surface forenhancing heat transfer away from the voltage regulator and the spacingmember supports the voltage regulator heat sink in a spaced apartrelationship relative to the brush assembly so as to support the brushassembly in the slip ring engaging position.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art Ford IAR 3G alternator.

FIG. 2 is a partially cross sectional view of the alternator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the voltage regulator and the slip ringend frame of the alternator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spacing member constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the spacing member of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partially cross sectional view of the alternator of FIG. 1with the spacing member of the present invention employed therein.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a portion of the slip ring end frame of thealternator modified in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, analternator 10 for use with an engine of an automobile is shown. Thealternator 10 is provided with a housing 12 which includes a drive endframe 14 and a slip ring end frame 16. The housing 12 defines analternator interior space 18 (FIG. 2) adapted to receive an electricgenerating assembly 19 (FIG. 2), which includes a rotor coil (not shown)in which a magnetic field is generated by rotating the rotor coilrelative to a stator (also not shown). The rotor coil is mounted on adrive shaft 20 which is rotated by the automobile's engine so that acurrent is induced in the stator. The alternator 10 further includes arotor fan 21 mounted on the drive shaft 20 and adapted to pull airthrough the alternator 10 from the slip ring end frame 16 to the driveend frame 14 when rotated by rotation of the drive shaft 20.

To supply electricity to the rotor coil to generate a rotating magneticfield, the alternator 10 is provided with a brush assembly 22 (FIGS. 2).The brush assembly 22 includes a brush housing 24 and a pair of brushes26a and 26b. The brush housing 24 includes a pair of holes 27 providedwith counterbores 27a and a central channel 29 (FIG. 3). In an assembledcondition of the alternator 10, as best illustrated in FIG. 2, the brush26a slidingly engages a slip ring 28a of the electric generatingassembly 19 and the brush 26b slidingly engages a slip ring 28b of theelectric generating assembly 19 when the brush assembly 22 is positionedin a slip ring engaging position. Each of the slip rings 28a and 28b aremounted on the drive shaft 20 and are electrically connected to therotor coil in a conventional manner.

A voltage regulator 30 is electrically connected to the brush assembly22 for controlling the intensity of the magnetic field generated by therotor coil so that the voltage output of the alternator 10 is maintainedwithin predefined limits. The brush assembly used with certain makes andmodels of alternators, in particular Ford IAR 3G alternators, is securedto the voltage regulator 30 by aligning a pair of holes 31 of thevoltage regulator 30 with the holes 27 of the brush housing 24 andregistering a pair of boss members (not shown) formed on the undersideof the voltage regulator 30 with the counterbores 27a of the brushhousing 24 and fastening the brush housing 24 to the underside of thevoltage regulator 30 with a pair of fasteners 32.

To accommodate the brush assembly 22, the slip ring end frame 16 isprovided with an opening or cavity 34 formed adjacent the slip rings 28aand 28b. In the Ford IAR model, the cavity 34 is defined by a bottomwall 36 and a plurality of sidewalls 38 and has an open upper end 40.The upper end of the sidewalls 38 provide a mounting surface 42 to whichthe voltage regulator 30 is secured, and the sidewall 38 adjacent theslip rings 28a and 28b is provided with an opening 44 through which thebrushes 26a and 26b of the brush assembly 22 extend to operably engagethe slip rings 28a and 28b.

The voltage regulator 30 includes a housing 45, a circuit board 45a, anda power device 45b secured to the upper surface of a mounting plate 46.The mounting plate 46 has a plurality of holes 48. Each of the holes 48is alignable with a corresponding threaded opening 50 in the mountingsurface 42 of the slip ring end frame 16. The voltage regulator 30 ismounted to the slip ring end frame 16 with a plurality of threadedconnecting members 52 (FIG. 1).

Alternators and voltage regulators as briefly described above, as wellas the components comprising such devices, are well known in the art.Thus, no further description of the various types of alternators andvoltage regulators, their components, or their operation is believednecessary in order to enable one skilled in the art to understand thepresent invention or the relationship of the alternator 10 and thevoltage regulator 30 shown in FIGS. 1-3.

When mounting the voltage regulator 30 to the mounting surface 42 of theslip ring end frame 16 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, problemshave been encountered in that adequate air circulation is not providedacross the mounting plate 46, which additionally is designed to serve asa heat sink for transferring heat away from the voltage regulator 30.This occurs due to the fact that the mounting plate 46 of the voltageregulator 30 is dimensioned to cover the open upper end 40 of the cavity34 and the mounting plate 46 is seated directly on the mounting surface42. As such, the mounting plate 46 closes off the upper end 40 of thecavity 34 so that air is not able to circulate between the voltageregulator 30 and the slip ring end frame 16, and thus, the internal heatgenerated within the voltage regulator 30 is not able to be effectivelytransferred away from the voltage regulator 30. This leads tooverheating of the voltage regulator 30 and thus failure of thealternator.

Because of the voltage regulator overheating problems encountered, aneed for improving air circulation across the mounting plate 46 of thevoltage regulator 30 exists. However, it is desirable that improved aircirculation be accomplished without having to substantially alter ormodify the configuration of existing alternator components, includingthe voltage regulator 30, the brush assembly 22, and the slip ring endframe 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a spacing member 60 constructed inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. The spacing memberovercomes the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art alternator10, and thus represents an advance in the state of the art relating toalternators. The spacing member 60 effectively increases air circulationabout the voltage regulator 30 by supporting the voltage regulator 30 ina spaced apart relationship relative to the mounting surface 42 of theslip ring end frame 16 so as to facilitate air flow between the voltageregulator 30 and the mounting surface 42. The spacing member 60 furthersupports the voltage regulator 30 in a spaced apart relationshiprelative to the brush assembly 22 so as to support the brush assembly 22in the slip ring engaging position.

The spacing member 60 is a unitary member constructed of a suitablerigid material, such as plastic. The spacing member 60 broadly comprisesa first end portion 62, a second end portion 64, and a pair of supportarms 66a and 66b.

The first end portion 62 has a first side 68, a second side 70, and athickness 72 (FIG. 5) defined as the distance between the first side 68and the second side 70. The first end portion 62 is configured tosupport a portion of the voltage regulator 30 in a spaced apartrelationship from the mounting surface 42 of the slip ring end frame 16and permit the brush assembly 22 to be connected to and properly spacedfrom the voltage regulator 30. To this end, the first side 68 of thefirst end portion 62 is configured to substantially correspond to theupper surface of the brush housing 22.

The first end portion 62 is provided with a pair of support surfaces 73,a pair of holes 74 extending through the first end portion 62 from thefirst side 68 to the second side 70, and a central channel 76. The holes74 are spaced apart and sized to align with the corresponding holes 31of the voltage regulator 30 and the corresponding holes 27 of the brushhousing 24. Each of the holes 74 is provided with a counterbore 74a onthe first side 68 which is sized and shaped to receive the boss members(not shown) of the voltage regulator 30.

The second side 70 of the first end portion 62 has a pair of bosses 78(only one being visible in FIG. 5) extending about the holes 74 and acentral tongue portion 80 sized to be received in the central channel 29of the brush housing 24 when the spacing member 60 is positioned betweenthe voltage regulator 30 and the brush housing 24.

The first end portion 62 further includes a pair of support arm portions82a and 82b which extend angularly outwardly such that the second side70 of the support arm portions 82a and 82b is engagable with mountingsurface 42 of the slip ring end frame 16 when the spacing member 60 isdisposed on the mounting surface 42 and such that an outer edge 84 ofthe first end portion 62 is in a spaced relationship with respect to thecorresponding sidewall 38 of the slip ring end frame 16 when the spacingmember 60 is disposed on the mounting surface 42. Each support armportion 82a and 82b is provided with a hole 86 which is alignable withthe corresponding threaded opening 50 in the mounting surface 42 of theslip ring end frame 16 and the corresponding hole 48 of the mountingplate 46 of the voltage regulator 30.

The second end portion 64 is a substantially U-shaped member having afirst side 88, a second side 90, a first end 92, and a second end 94.The first side 88 of the first and second ends 92 and 94 are connectedto the second side 70 of the first end portion 62 so that the first side88 of the second end portion 64 is staggered relative to the first side68 of the first end portion 62. The U-shaped configuration of the secondend portion 64 is such that the second end portion 64 cooperates withthe first end portion 62 to define an opening 96 extending through thespacing member 60.

The second end portion 64 is further sized and configured to fit withinthe cavity 34 of the slip ring end frame 16 so that the first side 88 ofthe second end portion 64 is substantially level with the mountingsurface 42 when the spacing member 60 is disposed on the mountingsurface 42. The second end portion 64 of the spacing member 60 is shownto have a configuration which substantially conforms to the shape of thecavity 34 of the slip ring end frame 16. However, it will be appreciatedthat the second end portion 64 could be formed into a variety ofconfigurations which would create a significant air passage through thespacing member 60.

The support arms 66a and 66b are characterized as having a first side98, a second side 100, and a thickness 102 (FIG. 5) defined as thedistance between the first side 98 and the second side 100. The secondside 100 of each of the support arms 66a and 66b is connected to thefirst side 88 of the second end portion 64 so that first side 98 of eachof the support arms 66a and 66b is staggered relative to the first side88 of the second end portion 64 and the first side 98 of each of thesupport arms 66a and 66b is in a coplanar relationship with the firstend portion 62.

Each support arm 66a and 66b is provided with a hole 104. The supportarms 66a and 66b extend outwardly from the second end portion 64 so thatthe holes 104 of the support arms 66a and 66b are alignable with thecorresponding opening 50 in the mounting surface 42 and thecorresponding hole 48 of the mounting plate 46 of the voltage regulator30. The thickness 102 of the support arms 66a and 66b is equal to thethickness 72 of the first end portion 62.

FIG. 6 illustrates the voltage regulator 30 connected to the slip ringend frame 16 with the spacing member 60 positioned between the voltageregulator 30 and the mounting surface 42, and the spacing member 60positioned between the voltage regulator 30 and the brush assembly 22.To mount the voltage regulator 30 to the slip ring end frame 16, thespacing member 60 is first secured between the voltage regulator 30 andthe brush assembly 22. When properly secured, the bosses 78 of the firstend portion 62 are disposed in the counterbores 27a of the brush housing24 and the boss members (not shown) of the voltage regulator 30 arepositioned in the counterbores 74a of the first end portion 62, and theholes 86 of the support arm portions 82a and 82b and the holes 104 ofthe support arms 66a and 66b aligned with the corresponding holes 48 ofthe mounting plate 46 of the voltage regulator 30. The combination ofthe voltage regulator 30, the spacing member 60, and the brush assembly22 is then secured to the mounting surface 42 with the connectingmembers 52.

When the spacing member 60 is positioned between the voltage regulator30 and the mounting surface 42, the staggered relationship of the secondend portion 64 with the first end portion 62 and the support arms 66aand 66b forms several air flow passages, indicated by arrows 106 in FIG.6, which facilitate the flow of air across the lower surface of themounting plate 46 of the voltage regulator 30 so as to enhance heattransfer away from the voltage regulator 30 as air is pulled through thealternator 10 by the fan 21 (FIG. 1).

Even with the increased flow area provided about the voltage regulator30 by use of the spacing member 60, the enclosed configuration of thecavity 34 may still restrict the flow of air through the cavity 34.Therefore, it may be desirable to slightly modify the slip ring endframe 16 so as to increase the amount of air that can flow through thecavity 34. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the slip ring end frame 16 havingbeen modified by drilling out a substantial portion of the bottom wall36 so as provide an enlarged flow passage 108 through the bottom wall36.

The construction of the spacing member 60 of the present invention as aunitary member has many advantages, including ease of manufacture andinstallation. However, it will be appreciated that numerous changes maybe made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in theart and which are accomplished within the spirit of the inventiondisclosed and as defined in the appended claims. For example, thespacing member 60 can be constructed as several individual, spaced apartmembers, which cooperate to support the voltage regulator 30 in a spacedapart relationship relative to the mounting surface 42 of the slip ringend frame 16 so as to provide an air flow passage between the voltageregulator 30 and the mounting surface 42 and to support the voltageregulator 30 in a spaced apart relationship relative to the brushassembly 22 so as to support the brush assembly 22 in the slip ringengaging position. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims should not be limited to the description of the preferredembodiment described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. In an alternator of the type having an electricalgenerating assembly housed in a frame having an external mountingsurface to which a voltage regulator is mounted and an opening forreceiving a brush assembly wherein the brush assembly is connected tothe voltage regulator and has a pair of brushes engaging a pair of sliprings of the electric generating assembly when the brush assembly ispositioned in a slip ring engaging position, the improvementcomprising:spacing means for supporting the voltage regulator in aspaced apart relationship relative to the mounting surface of the frameso as to provide an air flow passage between the voltage regulator andthe mounting surface and into the opening of the frame for enhancingheat transfer away from the voltage regulator and for supporting thevoltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to the brushassembly so as to support the brush assembly in the slip ring engagingposition, wherein the spacing means comprises:a first end portion havinga first side and a second side and a pair of support arm portions; asecond end portion having a first side and a second side, the second endportion connected to the first end portion such that the first side ofthe first end portion is in a staggered relationship relative to thefirst side of the second end portion; and a pair of support arms, eachsupport arm having a first side and a second side and each support armconnected to the second end portion such that the first side of each ofthe support arms is in a staggered relationship relative to the firstside of the second end portion and the first side of each of the supportarms is in a coplanar relationship with the first side of the first endportion.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the second end portionhas a substantially U-shaped configuration.
 3. In an alternator of thetype having an electrical generating assembly housed in a frame havingan external mounting surface to which a voltage regulator is mounted anda cavity defined by a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls forreceiving a brush assembly which is connected to the voltage regulator,the brush assembly having a pair of brushes engaging a pair of sliprings of the electric generating assembly when the brush assembly ispositioned in a slip ring engaging position, the improvementcomprising:spacing means for supporting the voltage regulator in aspaced apart relationship relative to the mounting surface of the frameso as to provide an air flow passage between the voltage regulator andthe mounting surface and into the cavity of the frame for enhancing heattransfer away from the voltage regulator and for supporting the voltageregulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to the brush assemblyso as to support the brush assembly in the slip ring engaging position,wherein the spacing means comprises:a first end portion having a firstside and a second side and a pair of support arm portions; a second endportion having a first side and a second side, the second end portionconnected to the first end portion such that the first side of the firstend portion is in a staggered relationship relative to the first side ofthe second end portion; and a pair of support arms, each support armhaving a first side and a second side and each support arm connected tothe second end portion such that the first side of each of the supportarms is in a staggered relationship relative to the first side of thesecond end portion and the first side of each of the support arms is ina coplanar relationship with the first side of the first end portion;and the bottom wall of the frame provided with a central opening toincrease air flow through the cavity of the frame.
 4. The improvement ofclaim 3 wherein the second end portion is configured to fit within thecavity of the frame.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the secondend portion has a substantially U-shaped configuration.
 6. Analternator, comprising:a frame having an external mounting surface andan opening; an electrical generator assembly housed in the frame, theelectrical generator assembly including a pair of slip rings; a voltageregulator mounted to the external mounting surface of the slip ring endframe; a brush assembly connected to the voltage regulator and having apair of brushes engaging the slip rings when the brush assembly ispositioned in a slip ring engaging position; and spacing means forsupporting the voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relativeto the mounting surface of the frame so as to provide an air flowpassage between the voltage regulator and the mounting surface and intothe opening of the frame for enhancing heat transfer away from thevoltage regulator and for supporting the voltage regulator in a spacedapart relationship relative to the brush assembly so as to support thebrush assembly in the slip ring engaging position, wherein the spacingmeans comprises:a first end portion having a first side and a secondside and a pair of support arm portions; a second end portion having afirst side and a second side, the second end portion connected to thefirst end portion such that the first side of the first end portion isin a staggered relationship relative to the first side of the second endportion; and a pair of support arms, each support arm having a firstside and a second side and each support arm connected to the second endportion such that the first side of each of the support arms is in astaggered relationship relative to the first side of the second endportion and the first side of each of the support arms is in a coplanarrelationship with the first side of the first end portion.
 7. Theimprovement of claim 6 wherein the second end portion has asubstantially U-shaped configuration.
 8. A spacing member for supportinga voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to amounting surface of a frame of an alternator and for supporting thevoltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to a brushassembly which is connected to the voltage regulator and extended intothe frame, the spacing member comprising:a first end portion having afirst side and a second side and a pair of support arm portions; asecond end portion having a first side and a second side, the second endportion connected to the first end portion such that the first side ofthe first end portion is in a staggered relationship relative to thefirst side of the second end portion; and a pair of support arms, eachsupport arm having a first side and a second side and each support armconnected to the second end portion such that the first side of each ofthe support arms is in a staggered relationship relative to the firstside of the second end portion and the first side of each of the supportarms is in a coplanar relationship with the first side of the first endportion.
 9. The spacing member of claim 8 wherein the second end portionhas a substantially U-shaped configuration.
 10. In an alternator of thetype having an electrical generating assembly housed in a frame havingan external mounting surface to which a voltage regulator is mounted andan opening for receiving a brush assembly wherein the brush assembly isconnected to the voltage regulator and has a pair of brushes engaging apair of slip rings of the electric generating assembly when the brushassembly is positioned in a slip ring engaging position, the improvementcomprising:a spacing member having a portion positioned between thevoltage regulator and the external mounting surface of the frame so asto support the voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relativeto the mounting surface of the frame and provide an air flow passagebetween the voltage regulator and the mounting surface and into theopening of the frame for enhancing heat transfer away from the voltageregulator and the spacing member having another portion positionedbetween the voltage regulator and the brush assembly so as to supportthe voltage regulator in a spaced apart relationship relative to thebrush assembly so as to support the brush assembly in the slip ringengaging position.